History: Part Four
by bowtruckle90
Summary: By popular demand, the continuation of the story of Severus Snape and Joanna Flamel. Joanna is mine, everyone else belongs to JKR. Rated M.


The first thing they did was head into a village on the northeast coast and purchased two owls, small ones (Joanna was certain one had brain damage). Then using the parchment Joanna had brought along in her rucksack along with a muggle pen they each wrote a letter. Sirius wrote to Harry to tell him not to worry with a note scribbled on the bottom stating he was allowing Harry to participate in Hogsmeade weekends, and sent the slightly brain damaged one to bring it to him with an extra note in the envelope letting Ron know he could keep the owl, since the boy had just lost his rat due to Sirius and Remus.

Joanna's letter was one of more vital importance. It was addressed to Alastor Moody at the address he had indicated in his letter. She was accepting his offer into the Priory.

This wasn't a Priory mission, traveling with Sirius. Joanna was only here because Dumbledore had asked her to help Sirius stay hidden. Needless to say, she and Sirius spent lots of time together in small spaces as they made their way toward Norway where there was more space and fewer wizard folk, though didn't have much to talk about. He was almost thirty-four and she was freshly twenty-one. In fact, they seemingly only had a couple of subjects in common: they both had extensive roles in the war twelve years ago, and they both had extensive roles in Severus Snape's life. Considering the limited choices, often times they opted for the former.

Sirius had been an auror once. And he had done a lot of work in the war, mostly concerning stealth tracking. Joanna was only a child at the time, though he did remember hearing something about a captured child, and he had of course heard of her father, which led to more conversation, about Joanna's family, mostly. Sirius, not particularly interested in citing childhood memories himself, did mention that he could recall her as a child once when she was living in Godric's Hollow. And since he mentioned the bike, Joanna was certain she had seen him on that same him once too.

Conversation began to flow easier as time went on and being on the lam wasn't as hard as Joanna had thought it might be. Through the owls she rented in various villages along the coast of Norway where she and Sirius had hidden themselves Joanna had sold her house in London and had someone from the Priory put her things in storage in her Gringott's vault that was only half full with some of her and her father's inventions. She had brought some money, with which she bought clippers and new clothes for Sirius. He was able to trim the beard he had grown and changed his clothes. He now looked like at least a shadow of the man he once was. Often times, Joanna wondered what kind of life he must have had before he was chucked in prison. Sirius was obviously handsome, if slightly underfed, and she knew he had been wealthy; aurors made good money.

Hiding in the caves wasn't easy, and neither was stealing food. Since he could change his shape and Joanna was not one to get her hands dirty with petty crime (though Sirius reminded her more than once that the Priory often had to commit crimes as means to their ends), Sirius handled the theft. He did well, never taking more than they needed from innocent people and he hardly ever got spotted. It did happen once or twice that someone would report seeing a large black dog and then they would have to move, but Joanna didn't mind, and neither did Sirius. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoy getting in some kind of trouble. Naturally, he was just happy to be on the outside and alive. He never did it on purpose, but he delighted in tricking local muggles.

One night when it was raining, they started a game of truth or dare, which quickly became a game of truth and truth since the storm was much more than a mere drizzle, complete with high winds and lightening that lit the whole valley below the cave. They asked about each other's lives. Joanna learned about Sirius' poor excuse for a family, and Sirius learned about what it was like being the famous alchemist's daughter.

"Have you ever loved," Sirius asked.

Joanna shifted her gaze from him to the storm. "I thought I did once, but he turned out to be a liar."

"Liar?"

"Well," Joanna tucked her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "He omitted things that were kind of important for me to know, being so close to him. It made me feel like he couldn't be trusted."

Sirius stretched out in front of their fire. "Who was he?"

Knowing now what she knew about the history between her ex lover and Sirius, Joanna simply said, "It's my turn to ask." She thought for a moment before saying, "Were you happy before prison?"

Joanna lay down on the other side of the fire and propped herself on her elbows, mirroring Sirius, who looked into her eyes for a moment, then rolled to his back and sighed clasping his hands over his stomach. "Well, yes and no. I had James and Lily, and Harry. I loved my job, and my life was always full of women and good wine and privilege. Even during the war I can't say I was particularly unhappy. But I was also not concerned. At least not as much as I should have been. I was young and foolish; invincible. I only cared for my own skin, more or less. For that I'm unhappy with myself now."

"But did anything make you unhappy then?"

Sirius turned his head toward her. "I didn't have anyone to love."

Suddenly Joanna felt uncomfortable.

It was only a few weeks later that Joanna found herself back at Hogwarts, sitting in Dumbledore's office, tapping her foot impatiently and twirling softly waved locks between her fingers and desperately wishing Severus was not in attendance.

After hiding Sirius in a cave close to the school, she had arrived at the office of the headmaster, dismayed to find that Severus was there as well. Thus far all Joanna knew was that she was here on Alastor's request. Though she didn't know yet what for, she could deduce that it was likely not something that would make this visit and in and out one.

"There's going to be a great event here this academic year." Dumbledore was smiling from ear to ear, as though someone had just told him he won the Order of Merlin First Class, again. "The Triwizard Tournament."

"Why does that sound familiar?"

"Because," Severus answered sourly, "your father judged the last one which was held in France."

Joanna thought hard, wondering if her father ever mentioned it in the years she had known him, which in his lifetime numbered few; roughly 2 percent of his lifetime, the math in her head told her. Would they ever have discussed something that happened about a century before Joanna was even born? Likely they had, but briefly. Joanna raised her eyebrows and sighed. "So why was I pulled?"

"Well, the rules have been drastically changed to allow for more safety measures, one of which is having a witness to the tasks. Someone who's there solely to ensure the safety of the individuals participating. I asked Alastor to make a recommendation from the Priory, and he chose you."

"Why?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "I assumed you knew why."

"I've been traveling through the backcountry all summer. I don't know anything about current goings on of the UK." Joanna eyed Severus through the corner of her eye. "Something tells me there's more to this story that you're not telling me." She shifted her focus to Albus. "Are you holding back due to present company?"

"Not at all. I wanted to make sure the two of you could inhabit this castle without tearing at each others' throats."

"I can do that. I can't speak for him."

"Then onto the other bit of news. Bertha Jorkins, that reporter for the prophet. You know her?'

"Most annoying journalist I ever met. Why?"

"She's missing."

"She's featherheaded. The stupid cow would lose her way going to her lifelong grocer's."

Dumbledore stood and stroked his phoenix's head. "Maybe so, but all bets are out on this one. Chances are she's not coming back this time."

"And you think something's going on. Involving Voldemort."

Severus sat up. "How did you know?"

Joanna crossed her arms and pointed with the finger peeking from under her elbow. "You're rubbing your arm."

Severus froze and looked for himself. She was right; he had been rubbing the inside of his left forearm.

"Your answer, Joanna?"

"I can do this job with Severus around as long as he remains civil. I assume that if things turn sour on this event it'll fall on my shoulders to investigate, won't it?"

Dumbledore nodded.

"I'm in for a long nine months."

As they all were leaving the office, Joanna stopped short behind Severus and in front of Dumbledore, shutting the door again behind the potions master. Keeping her hand on the knob she said quietly, "Sir, what am I supposed to do about Sirius? He can't survive on his own and I can't bring him around here and expect that everything will be fine. I mean, he'll be all over Harry. I don't think it would be a good thing for them to be around each other right now. Not when the Ministry is still on your back about the escape and the Priory is straining to keep it covered. Ministry officials are going to be in and out of this building this year. If he comes here-"

"Don't worry." Dumbledore. "I know a place near the village he can stay."

"The caves?"

"Yes."

"He's already there."

Albus smiled, eyes glinting. "You always were a cunning one."

They left the office and Severus was waiting outside. Dumbledore strode by humming as though nothing tense was happening in the corridor. As soon as he had disappeared around a corner, Severus said, "You've changed, Joanna."

"Yes."

"Your hair grew."

"Severus, what do you want to say?"

"I've changed."

"You can't have changed enough in three months to be honest completely with me, considering everything you're hiding from me."

Severus sighed and pressed his hand to his forehead. "Joanna, I want to tell you everything now. I lost you, I want the chance to get you back."

Joanna scoffed. "It's the lying. Not the facts. I couldn't care less about what terrible deeds you did while under his rule because it's a complicated psychology and I can't say for certain I would have had the gall to stand up to it. The lying is what kills me."

"Kills you? So you miss me? You miss us?"

Joanna turned her face to him over her shoulder, eyes glossy. "Yeah."

She turned back and Dumbledore was there. Joanna willed herself to stop her tears. "One more thing," he said.

"Why not just say you've got your hands full with my case?"

Sirius was sitting back against the cave wall and watching while Joanna absentmindedly turned the campfire flamed colors. "You know I can't. You're a Priory member you know I can't rail against the orders. Alastor assigned me here."

"But if you're scared for your life, if you think He might be involved and you don't want to be found-"

"I know he's involved." Joanna was tenser than she meant to be and the flamed shot up suddenly. She withdrew her outstretched hand and let the fire rest un-manipulated. "It's not that. I can handle that. I don't know if I can handle having an ex lover in my sights everyday."

"Ex lover? The one you mentioned? The liar."

Joanna nodded. "He was there today, at the meeting, and that was more than enough after everything he lied to me about."

"Liars, now who in that school do I know like that? I think he deals in some potions something or other…"

Joanna eyed him dangerously. "Don't."

Sirius waved off the concern and stretched. "Alastor has never been the most considerate of directors. I'd feel better if he was around to see you through this one."

"Wish granted." Joanna smiled up at Sirius. "He's the new defense teacher."

"How are you doing Joanna?" Alastor sighed and drank from his flask.

Joanna sighed in a frustrated tone and looked over her shoulder with a tense jaw. She turned back to Alastor and downed her wine in a few gulps. While pouring more from the bottle before her she answered, "Let's see, Severus is being a royal prick and ignoring my questions about dungeon security, Karkaroff is already giving me the heebie jeebies and our friend is freezing his nubs off in a cave somewhere and frankly I would rather be there right now."

"How far north did you take him?"

"You told me not to tell you, sir."

"Ah right." He looked at his hip flask and corked it. "Hm, too much I think."

Joanna caught Severus' eye. She neither made a smile nor a frown, but when she looked away Joanna nodded to herself and set her goblet down. "Not nearly enough." She took a swig from the bottle and sat back against her chair in a terribly bad mood.

How long could he treat her like this? It was such a conundrum. Severus had always been protective even when Joanna was a student, but never had he behaved as such he had been. And it would seem the closer she had gotten to Severus, the more the old potions master pulled away from her. She wanted to be closer, or she did. Joanna looked around the room and could swear that nearly every other man and boy in attendance tonight was more appealing than Severus right now. She'd jump the bones of Karkaroff in a heartbeat. Was she thinking this because she was truly repulsed by Severus at the moment or was she simply still raw from reaching her breaking point?

Joanna missed books. She missed the experiments, the learning. She missed spending the holiday in what was left of her father's home. She missed Marvin. She missed her old life. This new one suited well to her mischievousness. Truthfully, she was thankful she was a Slytherine student in her day. Mostly it was Severus who caught her doing things she ought not to and he almost always let her off. And if he did need detention he provided something light that she may actually find enjoyable, like categorizing his storage closet.

Joanna shook her head and took another few gulps. The hate couldn't last forever. Choosing hate was choosing unhappiness, but Joanna wasn't ready to choose to be elated as of yet. For the moment she was choosing wine.

Joanna was silently cursing herself. This was precisely what her job here was and she had already failed miserably. In the antechamber to the back room where the champions were waiting and while Minerva stalled the other headmaster and officials, Joanna had a work with Albus.

"I'm so sorry sir. I did what I could, but this is something I couldn't see coming."

"He didn't do it?"

Joanna crossed her arms and shrugged. "Not during the day, I kept good watch but that doesn't bar the nights, and that age line is not a perfect system for the situation. Someone else could have put his name in." Joanna paused, scratching at an itch on her elbow through the cerulean robes she was wearing. "Actually, I'm sure of it. But I don't think he asked them to whoever it was."

Albus nodded and as the other teachers began to enter, he turned. Joanna caught his shoulder. "Sir? Maybe best to not let on that we're not exactly surprised?"

Dumbledore winked. He put on a spectacular show with Harry. Poor boy, she thought, could have lost an arm on that one. Still, at least no one suspected that she and the old master suspected and that was good.

Of course he headmaster started in. They wanted another from each of their own schools, they wanted answers. Who had done this? If not harry who could have? Maxime seemed to think the boy had cheated the line. Alastor argued heatedly that only an extremely powerful Confundus charm could have tricked it.

"You seem to have given this a fair bit of thought, Mad Eye," Karkaroff challenged.

"Well it was once my job to think as dark wizards do, Karkaroff. Perhaps you remember."

Joanna stepped between Alastor and Karkaroff. Severus jumped a little when the old Russian raised his hand, but Joanna, though small as she was, caught it easily and threw it downward. "This isn't helping Alastor." It was times like these that Joanna loved her powerful gift of speaking beyond her years. "Now there's nothing that can be done if I'm not mistaken. The names have been called and the goblet won't reignite again until the next tournament. Allowing Potter to compete is the question here. We do not know all the traditions and magic caught up in this tournament. All we have is a rulebook with some very strong suggestions on certain implied pains unless we do as it says. Do we trust the rules or our own intuition, which only reaches so far in this matter?"

Dumbledore stepped to Crouch. "I'll leave this to you Barty." To this the man responded, "The rules are absolute. The girl is right, the goblet of fire constitutes a binding magical contract. As of this moment Potter is a triwizard champion."

After everyone was settled enough to retire, Dumbledore requested Alastor, Minerva, Severus, and Joanna accompany him to his office. There they discussed the decision, though there was nothing they could do short of killing the boy.

"This can't go on Albus."

"What do you suggest Minerva?"

She scoffed. "Put an end to it. Don't let Potter compete."

"You heard Barty the rules are clear."

Minerva walked toward Albus. "Well the devil with Barty and his rules. And since when did you accommodate the Ministry?"

"Minerva," Joanna interjected, "there's nothing we can do. This has nothing to do with the Ministry and their rules. The newer ones are Crouch's creation, but that doesn't annul the old ones set down centuries ago. The goblet's mandate is still absolute. We don't know what repercussions we could suffer as a whole if we take him out."

"Headmaster, I too find I difficult to believe this is mere coincidence, however if we are truly to discover the meaning of these events, perhaps we should, for the time being, let them unfold."

Minerva looked to Severus as he said this with a panicked expression. "What? Do nothing? Offer him up as bait? Potter is a boy, not a piece of meat."

"I agree…with Severus," Dumbledore said, not turning from his Pensieve. "Alastor, keep an eye on the boy."

"I can do that."

"Don't let him know though. He must be anxious enough as it is, knowing what's ahead. Then again," he added, placing his wand to his temple and drawing a memory out of his head and depositing it into the basin, "we all are."

Joanna stood up. "He's not doing this alone," she said, stalking toward the door. "I'm seeing Barty right now. We need and official witness to the tasks still and I won't let anyone take that place but me."

No one argued. That is not until she was outside the office and headed down the corridor to her own quarters and someone was running to catch up with her. What a surprise, Severus stopped short in front of her, cutting her off.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"No, but thank you for your concern." She pushed past him. "There's no way I'm dropping that ball this time, I want to be right there with him."

Severus hurried after her. "Are you sure you should be doing this?"

"This is my assignment. Back off."

He didn't. "Joanna I can understand your desire to protect the boy, but this is not the way to do it." He caught her elbow and she spun to face him. "I know you're less than thrilled with me right now, but I still can't stand to lose you."

"Wait up Miss Flamel!" Barty Crouch was rushing toward them. Severus let go. When Crouch had approached he said, "Miss Flamel Dumbledore just alerted me. Caught me before I left for the night. I'm more than happy to oblige your request, but I would like you to have a proxy to assist you in case you yourself come to some harm. This is a dangerous game, you must be aware."

Joanna nodded. "I'll find someone, don't worry."

"I'll do it sir."

They both looked at Severus, who repeated. "I will do it." Barty shrugged and moved on down the corridor. Joanna scowled at Severus. "Outside anything to do with the tournament, keep away from me. I still have no reason to trust you." With that she made her way back to her quarters.

Severus was pale as a sheet and biting his nails. The first three champions had done a reasonable job, but Potter was up next and he had drawn the Hungarian Horntail. Nasty piece of work for a dragon. They were notoriously hostile and dangerous on each end, with fangs in the mouth and horns along the spine and at the tail. That chain looked strong, but there was no telling with a nesting mother how far they will go to eliminate a threat.

Turned out it was worse than he thought. The damn thing broke free from the chain and started chasing the boy through the air. Its tail demolished the teachers' box, knocking all the professors to the ground. Joanna, who had been observing the task from the air on her own broom, was tearing off after the dragon. Severus got himself up and made his way out of the box and down the stairs. He ran across the rocky modified quiddich pitch where this task was taking place and opened the storage closet behind one of the boulders. Grabbing a broom Severus kicked off from the ground and flew into the air. He followed the path of destruction. Through the air he whizzed past the boy. The dragon was not behind him. Severus continued on until he reached the castle and saw Joanna barely hanging onto the edge of a window ledge on a tower. He pulled her onto the broom behind her and they floated down and landed on the steps leading to the entrance.

They stood together. Joanna was visibly shaken and pale. Severus pulled her into an embrace dropping the broom on the steps. Joanna wanted to pull away, but all she could do was collapse into his arms and try not to cry.

Then the pain came. A searing sting that stretched across her back. Severus pulled back and when he drew his hands from Joanna they were covered in blood. Without stopping to pick up the broom, Severus took Joanna in his arms and ran with her all the way to the hospital wing.

"Why did you let him take this role, Joanna? I thought you wanted him as far away form you as possible." Sirius had broken into a home and was using the fireplace to connect to Joanna's room. She had just outlined the first task for him.

Joanna sighed and brushed a hair out of her face. "Crouch let him. I didn't know what else to say. He might be a bastard and a liar, but he wouldn't let anything to happen to me. He's the only person I can trust given the circumstance."

"How's that?"

"Despite the fact that he's been lying to be by omission, the fact is that he knows more about what's going on right now with this tournament and everything that's been happening out there than most. If I want anyone at my back right now, he's it. I don't like it, but it's the truth."

Sirius nodded. Joanna told him to go on and meet Harry to discuss the task. He did, but all the while in the back of his mind he was thinking about his young friend. Joanna was a responsible person in regards to herself as well as others. If she thought this was the best way to do her job and keep herself safe at the same time, then he wouldn't argue it.

Joanna and Severus were spending more time together amicably. There even came an afternoon in November when she submitted to reading in the cool Great Hall rather than retiring to her cozy den beside a roaring fire, simply so they could be in one another's presence. Of course Severus was busy enough supervising the study hall for students that afternoon, so he was wandering at will keeping them focused on their work. Well wandering wasn't really the word, more like he was stalking Potter and his friends, cracking down on every peep her heard. Fairly enough, they were after all talking.

When the study hall was over, Severus walked Joanna back to her quarters, pulling her down a corridor at one point and taking the long way to avoid Karkaroff. "What was that about?" Joanna asked, knowing full well Severus wouldn't answer, which he didn't. Instead he changed the subject rapidly. "You know about the Yule Ball?"

"Why?"

"You're the witness, don't you have to go?"

Joanna shrugged. "I don't think so. Besides, I don't have a date."

Severus clasped his hands behind his back and said, "I could take you."

Joanna considered the offer. They reached her door and she looked him in the eye with a crooked smile. He had been exceptionally well behaved lately…

"All right then."

Severus knew Joanna was a good dancer, and he obliged her a short dance, but since Severus was not really one for much graceful movement, Dumbledore begged a dance from her, a waltz, and her silver gown glinted in the blue lighting. She was a princess in Severus' eyes, and she floated across the floor like an angel. Every so often she would turn her back to him and there would be the three long scars from the first task disaster. The scratches had healed, but had left her skin with a permanent triplet of marks. And still Joanna had chosen an elaborate gown with an open back for this occasion, saying the scars added character.

But as he watched, there was a tap on his shoulder. Severus turned and Karkaroff was there. He waggled his finger at Severus beckoning him to follow. They left the ball and went out the door onto the grounds.

Severus made quick work of appearing busy, checking the carriages for kissing couples some out of the hall for some privacy. He did this while Karkaroff talked.

"She's a pretty thing. Like her mother."

Severus said nothing but opened another door to an open carriage. There was no longer music coming from the hall. Joanna would be looking for him.

"Yes, I'll bet when he returns she'll be top priority on his list. If I were you I would make fast work of hiding the girl. Then again, if you had done as you were instructed thirteen years ago, you would not be in this position."

"What I did before in obeying his orders was a travesty in judgment. Despite what he wanted, that woman was not a threat to him."

"But the child was. She is. You know what I say is true. She'll be hunted, and you cannot save her. In fact you shouldn't. If you were thinking properly you would take this opportunity and set right your disobedience."

"You cannot say that you would have done any different in my place, Igor."

"If I were as close to him as you were, I would have left her in that house."

"It would have been wrong to continue to leave Joanna in that house…it was wrong to kill her mother. I did my first good deed in years by saving Joanna's life. It changed me." Severus shook his head and moved on to another carriage. He opened the door, saying, "She changed me."

Igor was growing frustrated. "You're trying so hard to believe it's not true, for you and for her. It's happening again like before, and soon neither you or anyone else will be able to deny it."

"I've told you before, I see no reason to discuss it further." Severus matched his tone now, though he was far more frustrated than he let himself sound. Joanna knew he was missing by now and though Severus had resolved to stop lying to her, he did not want her hearing this conversation. She didn't deserve to find out like this.

Severus closed the door and moved on, banging on the side of another carriage. He noticed a carriage move across the way and rushed to it, charming the window open. He unhooked the door and two students got out. Severus docked ten points from each of them and watched them rush back inside the hall. He realized he was rubbing his forearm and immediately stopped, but not before Igor took notice.

"It's a sign Severus, you know it is."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Severus strode past Igor and opened the adjacent carriage.

"Roll up your sleeve." Igor reached for Severus' arm, but Severus spun so his back was to the carriage and snatch his arm away. "You don't fool me Severus," Igor sneered. "You are scared admit it."

"I have nothing to be scared of Igor." Severus moved out of the way, sidestepping his counterpart. "Can you say the same?"

Of course Severus knew they both had plenty to answer for, but Severus also knew he had a cover story that fit rather nicely in the event that goings on were indeed headed in the perceived direction. Karkaroff likely did not. In any case, this question was enough to send the headmaster on his way once again. After seeing he was off for good, Severus made to go back inside. But at the threshold of the nearby walkway, he came face to face with a vision in a silver ball gown.

Joanna's face was in anguish and she wouldn't meet Severus' eye. He reached for her shoulder but she didn't press into his touch. She didn't move at all. Then Severus understood. He removed his hand and averted his gaze.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough." Joanna turned and ran back inside, picking up her skirts as she disappeared into the crowd. Severus balled a fist and punched the stone archway he was standing by. Sharp pain shot up his hand as the rough stone bit into his knuckles. Severus saw the blood and pressed the back of his hand into his side, following Joanna's path, but taking a turn for the dungeons to treat his hand and call it a night. While falling asleep, Severus could hear faintly the Weird Sisters closing out the ball with a song entitled Magic Works, the sound carrying through the pipes in the walls.

Believe that magic works, Severus echoed the lyrics in his head. It had better.

Severus woke up the next morning having slept very little and thought an awful lot. He thought about the apology he would make in the morning, and had started in so many places and started over so many times, he was now unsure of precisely what he would say. But he knew 'sorry' was a good place to start.

So he dressed and made to leave his quarters. And when he got there and opened the door Joanna fell inside. She was wearing a bright yellow nightgown and a matching dressing robe. Severus stooped to help her stand up and they were face to face. Severus tried to speak but nothing came of it. Joanna shook her head and sighed. She placed a hand on his chest and Severus covered her small hand with his.

"Severus," she said softly, "I can't begin to say how sorry I am. I judged your secrecy as a betrayal instead of trusting that you truly were trying to protect me from an awful truth."

Severus was shocked. Pleased, but shocked. "I just want to know one more thing," she continued.

"Name it."

"Why? Why did you change your mind and save me?"

Severus led Joanna inside and closed the door behind them. He took both her hands and sighed.

"I didn't go to your home alone that night. I know you don't remember much, but I took Rookwood with me. When the time came…I couldn't do it. So he took over the whole operation. I altered his memory so he would think I killed your mother. We took you back with us as requested, but less than a day afterward, I started plotting on how to get you out. It took months to get an opportunity, and I wish it hadn't. I couldn't be certain of who to trust in those days, so I kept it to myself until Karkaroff overheard me talking in my sleep during my short stint in Azkaban. He and Dumbledore are the only others who know, and there's a charm on Karkaroff he can't discuss it with anyone other than the headmaster and myself without dire consequences. If word of this gets out to the wrong people, anyone at all even, it would mean a quick death for the both of us, even now. Potter isn't the only person of vital importance in the war. He needed to die for Voldemort to truly succeed, but he would never have gotten so far without using your magic. You're the most prodigal witch of the age." Joanna was silent. It was certainly a lot to take in. "Saving you was the first decent thing I had done in years."

Joanna giggled and stretched up to kiss Severus' lips. "So you've said, and I'm glad."

"How glad?"

"Elated."

"Elated enough to marry me?"

Joanna looked at Severus oddly. "You're serious."

Severus nodded. "I am." He knelt down and said again, "Marry me."

Joanna couldn't say no.

It was a small affair in January, beside the Black Lake at Hogwarts during the holiday break. Dumbledore presided over the ceremony, as was one of his many rights as head warlock of the Wizengamot, and the staff of the school was in attendance. No one else was there, mostly because Severus and Joanna had no more family to speak of that either knew and their only friends were attached to the school as instructors.

Small as it was, Joanna looked stunning in her simple white ball gown made of silk organza and adorned with only a simple lace detail at the architectural crumb catcher's vee and a sash tied expertly at the back, not meeting together but folded delicately and pinned up on either side of a line of satin buttons running the length of the back of the gown. Severus swapped his traditionally black robes for white ones.

The reception was a brunch setting served by a few house elves and after that Severus whisked Joanna to Normandy to visit a muggle island called Mont St-Michel. She would have been happy enough to simply stay at the school, but Severus insisted she needed to get away since the grounds of the school were about to become Joanna's worst nightmare. There were two more tasks ahead of her, and neither would be nearly as easy as the first…and that hadn't been easy at all.

"Blimey it's cold out here," Joanna said croakily in the morning chill. She was rubbing her upper arms and shivering. Severus removed his cloak and wrapped her in it. Joanna was only wearing a bathing suit. At the moment they were waiting for the champions to all show up and the students and spectators to take their seats. Karkaroff was staring at her out of the corner of his eye, and Severus did his best to stare the headmaster down, spurring his efforts to intimidate.

Dumbledore waved to Joanna, signaling that it was time for her to go. Severus kissed the top of Joanna's head. "I'll come for you if I have to." He slipped a modified dose of gillyweed into her hands as the champions began to arrive. Severus had grown this himself. It was modified for time, able to be used for as long as the user was underwater, and carried the ability to communicate audibly. "Go on."

Joanna swallowed the slimy plant and waited a moment before jumping into the frigid lake.

It took her less than ten minutes to reach the city. Not only was Joanna a good swimmer, but Severus had gone over exactly how to find the merpeople only days before. The chief shook her hand when she arrived and offered her a seat beside him as they waited for the champions to arrive. It was eerie watching the treasures float there, tethered to the lake's floor. They looked dead, which of course she knew they weren't, but it was still frightening enough to glance over and wonder if they were all still alive. In the extreme distance and muddled in the water there could be heard a horn, and the game began.

It was almost forty minutes before the first persona arrived. Joanna was pleased to see it was Harry, but he didn't take Ron and go. He was waiting. Not long after Cedric Diggory showed and took Cho Chang with him, and Krum followed taking Hermione, but there was no sign of Fleur. Time was running out, particularly for Harry who had clearly also used gillyweed, somehow. He refused to leave the girl, Fleur's sister. The chief argued with Harry about it, but all the merfolk scattered when Harry threatened them. Joanna smacked her forehead and tried to catch up with Harry from her safe observation distance, but a wall of soldiers cut her off with three pronged tridents. The chief grabbed her, and before she could say anything they had begun to steadily rise toward the surface.

Joanna twisted in the chief's grip, but there was nothing for it, he wouldn't budge. All Joanna could do was wait until they surfaced and hope that whatever he was doing, Dumbledore would be able to reverse. If she plunged under again, there would be no way for her to breath as the effects of the modified gillyweed would subside as soon as her head broke the surface.

Joanna sputtered and took a breath of cold air. Blinking the water from her eyes she could now see they were at the edge of the judges platform and Dumbledore and Severus were both kneeling at the edge. Joanna reached for Severus but the chief pulled her away. Dumbledore began to shriek, speaking in Mermish. A conversation took place. And before Joanna knew it she was being dragged downward again. The world blurred before her eyes and the sweet air was ripped from her. This didn't last long. She felt the chief's grip rip away from her arm and the feeling of rising came again. Severus lifted her out of the water and Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall helped drag her onto the platform. Joanna coughed up a small amount of water and someone laid a thick blanket over her. After the scores were awarded Dumbledore returned to her side as Severus was helping Joanna stand. "What did he say?" she asked.

"He said a wizard told him that should something happen to the city or if the champions caused any kind of distress that you could be kept for collateral."

Joanna and Severus returned to the castle in stunned silence.

"It couldn't have been Karkaroff could it?" Three weeks after the incident at the lake, Joanna was sitting with Severus in his classroom during a Saturday afternoon and reading, still speculating about who have tried to get rid of her. "I mean, he does seem the type but what does he gain from this?"

"Nothing," Severus responded setting down his stack of papers to be graded and walked to her where she sat in the comfortable chintz chair. He took her hand and played with her ring finger, admiring the shining, delicate gold band. He bent down and kissed Joanna's neck. "How about we come right home from the show tonight and I will draw a bath for you and we'll have the house elves bring us some devil's food cake, hm?"

"Sounds like a plan," Joanna sighed lifting her lips and accepting a long kiss from Severus. He massaged her shoulders for a moment before trailing his fingertips up her neck and started plucking pins from her hair, letting wispy tresses fall one by one.

And then there was an insistent knock at the door. They looked up and Karkaroff was standng at the door. "Severus, I must speak with you."

"If this is about what I think it is-"

"Please."

Severus sighed frustratingly and approached Karkaroff, closing the door behind them. Joanna could not hear them directly outside the door, so she figured Severus had led Karkaroff to his supply closet to talk, like he used to when Joanna was in her seventh year and they would talk intimately. Not flirting but just speaking like adults.

Joanna sighed and took up her book again.

Joanna didn't like the sound of this final task, not at all. "You want me to sit, alone, at the center of an impossibly large maze filed with dangerous creatures of varying classes from A to E and wait for the first champion to reach the cup."

Dumbledore shrugged. "It was the only way we could figure to have you able to out rule a controversy."

"Why can't Severus sit with me, make sure nothing happens to me."

"He's merely a proxy, his presence could taint your account should it be required. I'm sure you're more than capable of handling a few boggarts and a sphinx."

"It's not the creatures I'm worried about sir."

Dumbledore sighed and clasped his hands together, laying them on his desk. Joanna and Severus had been called to his office to hear the news, and neither was too pleased with the solution.

"Whoever had been tampering with this game, Harry's name, my capture, the dragon's chains, someone is attempting to get rid of us, and whoever it is, it's someone with enough authority here to get the mercheif believing his lies. That leaves a teacher or other esteemed guest, and there aren't many around here right now. Crouch is gone, Bagman's an idiot, and frankly sir I'm coming up empty on other suspects. The only time something odd happens that I can see is in a task and I'm far too busy to notice anything that doesn't directly relate to my momentary mortality." Joanna was right of course. Severus had told her of the break ins in his storage but that seemed to be the only other odd thing going on in the castle outside of Crouch's recent murder. Even with every clue together there wasn't much to go on and no way to even make an educated guess, although at this point Severus certainly tried."

"If I might headmaster, can I suggest that you keep a sharp eye on Karkaroff for the remainder of his time here? I don't think he is the one tipping the scale, but he does seem the most likely candidate considering…history."

Dumbledore agreed, and pointed out before dismissing the couple that there was plenty of time before the final task, which was set for May. The hedges of the maze needed time to grow.

They returned to their quarters, which they now officially shared. Since the wedding, Severus had changed the back rooms to make a small war up studio for Joanna and a master bedroom for the two of them. Joanna headed straight for the bedroom and flopped down on her back with a forearm draped dramatically over her eyes.

"Severus this is nuts. Anyone could get into that maze before the task starts. If whoever is trying to kill me and Harry finds me first I'm dead."

Severus sat beside her and pulled her into his lap. "Come now, you're a prodigal witch. You can take anyone."

"Yeah, except here I don't know who I'm up against." Joanna sighed and sunk into Severus' chest. He kissed the top of her head, and down the line of her jaw and on her neck. He found her lips and kissed them passionately, holding her closer to him. Joanna shifted so she was straddling Severus' hips. He groped her breasts through her robes with one hand and worked on pulling up the hem of her floor length robes with the other. Exposing her thighs, Severus took both hands and moved her underwear to the side while Joanna unbuttoned his trousers. Severus lifted Joanna and set her down on his erection. Joanna groaned in satisfaction and began grinding her hips. Severus sighed heavily and pulled Joanna close, smashing his lips into hers. The pressure mounted until Joanna shrieked and fell limp in Severus' arms. Severus fell asleep in his robes that night, and rested soundly. Joanna on the other hand waited until Severus was indeed sleeping and got up, changed into a night gown and made herself comfortable in the study in front of the fireplace. She did this sometimes when she could not sleep reading or doing puzzles in the Prophet. Tonight Joanna was attending the daunting task of exploring the possibilities of who could possibly be connected to Voldemort in this whole mess. She thought until she fell asleep, and by then she was no closer to knowing the truth than she was before the day began.

Joanna sighed and stared up at the sky. The stars were the only thing she could see that weren't dark and depressing in here. At one point that beast the Hagrid had been breeding this year and lent to this task had come through one of the four hedge openings and Joanna had to sting him to send him on his way. Now she was just waiting for someone to come and get this damn cup and end this ridiculous show. There had already been two help flares sent up, leaving only two champions left.

The Triwizard Cup stood on a pedestal in the center of this clearing at the center of the maze. It was glowing like a beacon cutting through the night air. Joanna leaned against the pedestal and snaked her hand over the stomach of her oversized tee shirt, letting a small smile crossing her lips.

There was a commotion coming from one of the hedge alleys but Joanna wasn't permitted to leave her post, it wasn't long before Harry and Cedric stumbled out of the hedge and began arguing over who should take the damn trophy. Joanna stood straight and backed away from the pedestal to let them get closer to it.

Harry decided they would take it together and began counting to three. Then Joanna noticed something strange. The cup was, for lack of a better word, flickering. The small movement was instantaneous and small, but it was there, and only a poorly cast charm could cause that side effect.

"One."

There wasn't supposed to be any charm on the cup at all.

"Two."

Someone had altered it and it was going to do something the minute someone touched it.

"Harry wait!" But he counted three and the boys took the cup just as Joanna lunged for them and took hold of Harry's arm. There was a yank behind her naval and in a moment more Joanna's feet slammed into the ground and she fell over, knees aching.

The boys seemed okay. They were picking themselves up off the ground same as Joanna. "Where are we?" Harry queried.

No one moved from their spot. "I don't know," Joanna said, examining the closest headstone in the graveyard they had landed in trying to glean where they might be. There was a cauldron in the middle of it, which was odd and unsettling on its own, but in a moment Joanna came across something more sinister about this place. She didn't recognize the engraved name, but when she looked around in the distance, there was a hill, and on top of that hill there was a house…a very familiar house. "I'd keep wands out if I were you."

Cedric and Harry took their wands out without questioning her, and Joanna started thinking rapidly how she could possibly get them out of here and fast. There was no way of knowing why they had been sent here by whoever had infiltrated this tournament, but she had good reason to think that anyone they met here would not be willing to help them.

Footsteps were coming. Harry said as much and they all turned toward the sound. It was a man carrying a bundle of rags, or so it seemed, and he was staying in shadow, hooded and cloaked. Harry screamed and collapsed to the ground and a raspy voice said, "Kill the spare," and a stronger voice uttered the curse. In an instant Cedric was on his back, dead, and his eyes were wide in astonishment.

In an instant something hit her and Joanna froze, dropping her wand, Harry was being dragged and bound to the only grave Joanna was familiar with, now that she looked. It was the grave of Tom Riddle senior. Voldemort had taken her here once when she was under his control.

Joanna watched with frightened tears running down her face as the man revealed himself, Peter Pettigrew. He began reciting a very old spell as the cauldron bubbled in the clearing. Peter dropped the bundle of rags in and began collecting things: he took a bone from the Riddle grave, then he cut off his own hand and finally he cut Harry's arm and added the blood. Sparks shot from the cauldron and when they were gone, it started misting. And in the midst of this something rose from the pot. If Joanna could have looked away she would have but instead all she could do was watch in horror and break into a cold sweat as Voldemort, fully grown and just the same as he had been thirteen years ago, stepped from the cauldron, ready to rise again.

He looked at himself, his hands, touched his own face. He reached into a pocket and fished out his wand. He stroked it lovingly. Nagini had returned and was now slithering her way up Joanna's frozen legs and making herself comfortable around her neck hissing contentedly. Nagini remembered her. Would he?

Peter was whimpering about something or other on the ground. Voldemort ordered him to stand and offer his arm. Peter sent forward his stump where the hand used to be, but Voldemort spat, "The other arm, Wormtail."

Voldemort took the left arm and pressed his wand into the tattoo on Peter's arm. Voldemort pressed him finger to the brand and Peter winced. Harry screamed again; his scar must have felt as though it was splitting in two.

"How many will be brave enough to return when they see it, and how many will be foolish enough to stay away?"

Joanna had to think and think fast. How would she play this to ensure she and Harry survived?

Severus was sitting in the stands, waiting like all the others for someone to make it to the center of the maze. And his forearm started burning horrendously. Karkaroff, he could see in the distance had blached and was pale as a ghost. He politely excused himself and disappeared into the distance toward the lake were his ship was docked. Severus stood slowly and stepped down from the stands, walking over to Dumbledore. "Sir," he said lowly, "we have a problem."

She had to play the game. Knowing how important she had been to him as a child, Joanna was certain she would not meet her death anytime soon, but she would be taken again and may never see the light of day. That wasn't an option. But if she played the game…if she played the same game her husband did…

"Well well, what have we here?" Voldemort had been blathering on about his family and the house on the hill. Joanna had not been paying much attention. But now he was standing before her with an amused look on his face. Don't say more than you have to, Joanna reminded herself. "Pretty as ever, Miss Flamel. You look remarkable like your mother."

So he did remember. And well, it seemed. Voldemort flicked his wand and unfroze Joanna. Nagini was still perched on her shoulder. Joanna took on a smug expression and stroked the giant snake's head. "I don't suppose you would mind asking your pet to remove herself?"

Voldemort hissed and Nagini slithered her way down her back, coiling herself around the wand at Joanna's feet and flicking her tongue. "I remember you being extremey frightened of me many years ago. Here you stand, without quaking, without stuttering. You've grown to be a very strong woman."

Voldemort was considering her. She could see in his eyes she was attempting to see into her mind. Thankfully Severus had taught her Occlumency when she was still a student and Joanna happened to be extremely skilled at it. "It's a shame I never got to teach you anything, Miss Flamel," Voldemort said. "Perhaps we can rectify that."

Joanna said nothing, and hoped he did not mean what she thought he did.

But then there was a series of popping noises and the swishing of cloaks. From the darkness wizards were appearing. "Now my true family arrives," Voldemort said, turning his back on Joanna. It was out of her hands now. Whatever he had decided, she would soon find out if that performance had just saved her life or put the nails in her coffin. Joanna wondered if she would see Severus come out from behind one of these masks. She hoped not. Adding him into the mix before the deal was final would mean their deaths for sure.

Voldemort welcomed them, but of course it wasn't sincere. He blamed them for not coming to find him. He accused them of abandoning him, of going to Dumbledore's side. Avery asked forgiveness and got the Crucio curse. He rewarded Peter with a new hand, silver and perfect. Peter had of course not returned out of loyalty, but he returned, nonetheless. That was more than others could say. Lucius Malfoy tried to plead his case, but it didn't work. Voldemort waved his pleading away with only a few words and began examining the empty spots in the circle.

"The Lestranges should stand here, but they are entombed in Azkaban. They were faithful. They went to Azkaban rather than renounce me…When Azkaban is broken open, the Lestranges will be honored beyond their dreams." They weren't the only two he spoke of. In fact some of those present he spoke to. Macnair was one. Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, and more. And then there came a large gap of missing followers.

"And here we have six missing Death Eaters…three dead in my service. One too cowardly to return…he will pay. One who I believe has left me forever…he will be killed of course…" Joanna let Severus' name flash in her mind, but she cleared it again quickly. He could not find out about their relationship or Severus would meet death soon no matter how he played into Voldemort's favors as she expected he likely would later on tonight or even tomorrow. She glanced at Voldemort. He didn't seem to have noticed. Voldemort spoke of his most faithful servant who was at Hogwarts.

Then he turned to Joanna. "And here we have a very special guest to this little reunion. Unexpected, but welcome all the same. Some of you might remember little Joanna Flamel from many years ago. She was our own personal student to be until one of our own decided to leave us and take her with him. Now by this turn of fate she has come back."

She was surrounded with nowhere to run. And even if she could get away, who would help Harry out of this. It was over a dozen against one. Voldemort shook his head, tutting his tongue. "I have a lesson for you my dear." Voldemort walked around her; Joanna stood her ground. There was a moment of silence, and then there was a terrible pain coursing through her body. Joanna was aware of shrieking and hitting the ground. After that there was nothing but blackness.

When Joanna opened her eyes, there was a bluish shimmering dome like a force field and only Harry and Voldemort were inside. Their wands seemed to be linked together somehow, and there were spirits of those long gone coming out of Voldemort's wand. Cedric was there and so were Harry's parents. Joanna sat up slightly and watched open mouthed.

Suddenly Harry broke the connection and ran for Cedric's body. Joanna got up and sprinted toward him and just as she had reached the boys, Harry had summoned the Triwizard cup and off they went.

They were dumped on the lawn in front of the stands of students and observers. Before she knew it, Dumbledore was attempting to pry Harry from Cedric's body and Joanna was being shaken by the shoulder. Severus was crouched behind her, and when she turned to meet his eye he said quietly, "What the hell happened in there?"

They couldn't talk about it immediately of course, they had to go on and find somewhere more private. Severus told Joanna to stay put where she was and wait for him while he helped secure the stands. Everything seemed to move slowly, and it was a good thing Joanna was so out of it because otherwise she never would have been able to notice that Alastor was taking Harry into the castle.

"Severus…" He was talking with Ludo Bagman, arguing about his ability to talk to Joanna. Bagman wanted desperately to, Severus was having none of it. "Severus," Joanna called to him stronger. Severus waved Bagman off and knelt beside her. "Severus, wasn't Harry supposed to stay here?"

"Why?"

"Alastor took him…"

Severus looked at her for a moment and then looked around at the crowd of people. Unable to find Alastor or Harry, Severus called Dumbledore over. The headmaster bent to head what Severus told him and while they discussed how to handle it with Minerva, Joanna stood up weakly and stalked after Alastor Moody.

The hallways seemed longer than normal, and it took almost twice as long for Joanna to reach Moody's office as it normally did. When she did finally get there, Joanna felt for her wand and realized she must have left it outside on the grounds. Regardless, she quietly opened the door to the office and crept in. Moody was talking, and for the moment that's all he was doing, but he was saying some very strange things and this gave Joanna pause. She stopped and ducked behind a large chest to listen.

"Who told Cedric to open it underwater? I did. I trusted that he would pass the information on to you. Decent people are so easy to manipulate, Potter. I was sure Cedric would want to repay you for telling him about the dragons, and so he did. But even then, Potter, even then you seemed likely to fail. I was watching all the time. All those hours in the library. Didn't you realize that the book you needed was in your dormitory all along? I planted it there early on. I gave it to the Longbottom boy, don't you remember?"

Joanna's head was reeling. The more she heard the sicker she felt. Her own boss, someone she had for a lifetime regarded as a good person was in fact the person she had been looking for all along. The person who had been trying to kill her was the very man who gave her this path in life. How could this be?

"The Dark Lord and I have much in common," Alastor was saying now. "Both of us for instance had very disappointing fathers…very disappointing indeed. Both of us suffered the indignity, Harry, of being named after those fathers. And both of us had the pleasure…the very great pleasure…of killing our fathers to ensure the continued rise of the Dark Order!"

Suddenly something in her head clicked. Killed his father…Joanna had had her suspicions when Crouch had died based on something Alastor had said on the first night in the castle about Crouch. 'Don't think him so great, Joanna. His own son deems him a very great disappointment.'

Joanna understood now. She didn't know exactly how, but she knew she was right.

"You're mad," Harry was saying as he backed up from the false Alastor.

"Mad am I? We'll see who's mad now that the Dark Lord has returned with me at his side! He's back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him-and now-I conquer you!"

"Hold it!" Joanna stepped out from behind the chest. She held her hands up defensively, saying, "Don't do this." She took a few steps forward. "You don't want to do this…Barty."

The false Alastor pointed his wand toward Joanna but before he could fire a spell, the door burst open and Dumbledore had shot a stunner straight at Moody. Severus rushed toward Joanna. McGonagall was fussing over Harry but Dumbledore insisted that the boy stay.

"Joanna, Joanna darling are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Joanna mumbled to her husband, but the body on the floor was distracting her. Dumbledore had just begun explaining to Harry that the Moody on the floor was not in fact the real Moody and had fished a ring of keys from the pockets of the man's robes.

"Severus please fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess and then go down to the kitchens and bring up a house elf called Winky. Minerva, kindly go down to Hagrid's house, where you will find a large black dog sitting in the pumpkin patch. Take the dog up to my office and tell him I will be with him shortly, then come back here."

Severus motioned to Joanna but she waved him off. Severus thought it wise not to provoke her at the moment so he left on his errand.

Dumbledore went to the largest chest in the room and with the keys he had wrested, began opening the lock. Each time he used a new key there were new contents inside. Finally one of the keys unlocked a room of sorts, a dungeon, dropping ten feet below the chest's mouth. Dumbledore waved her over and Joanna looked inside. She covered her mouth when she saw that the real Alasor Moody was inside, looking very sick and hardly moving.

"Stunned-controlled by the Imperius curse. Very weak. Throw that cloak down Harry, he's freezing. Madam Pomfry will need to see him but he seems to be in no immediate danger."

Joanna rubbed her face. "All this time and it was right under my nose."

"It wasn't you, dear. No one could have guessed this one. I enjoyed lunch after lunch with this man and never suspected a thing. He played the part well. The question now is, precisely who you and I have been spending so much time with."

"Barty Crouch."

Dumbledore looked at her oddly. Then Joanna met her eye and added, "Junior."

"Impossible. But at least now we know who's been stealing from your husband's stores."

"In any case, I assume you'll want him bound when he's revived?"

"What potion is Severus likely to bring up?"

"He has a bottle of Veritaserum."

"Then not necessary. That potion makes for a very cooperative captive."

Dumbledore explained the polyjuice to Harry and how the real Moody had tied in, and Joanna merely sat in a nearby chair and waited. A handful of minutes passed silently, then before her eyes the man on the floor began changing. His hair shortened and looked sandy colored and his build slimmed up. The face became clear and as soon as Dumbledore saw it, he nodded to Joanna in a way that was almost more like a bow.

Severus and McGonagall both returned and Dumbledore administered a dose of the potion while Winky wailed in agony assuming her former master's son to be dead. Dumbledore sat the young man up and pointed his wand at his chest, saying, "Ennervate."

Barty's eyes flew open.

"Can you hear me?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes."

Severus walked to where Joanna was seated and stood behind her, placing a hand on each shoulder and readying to hear what promised to be a very interesting story.

And a story it was. Crouch Sr.'s wife was about to die and convinced her husband to use a polyjuice potion to swap places with her son in Azkaban, as the dementors cannot see, but only feel their guests, which made it easy to swap one sick person for another. Junior was brought home and Imperiused by his father o keep under control and forced to wear an invisibility cloak. When Bertha Jorkins found out he was in fact alive and Senior had put a powerful memory charm on her. It explained her memory problems of late, and probably how she stumbled upon Voldemort on accident. Barty started fighting the curse and at the World Cup he managed to get away from Winky and sent the mark up into the sky. Voldemort came for crouch after that and cursed Senior to be compliant and together they planned everything. Crouch took over Alastor after Voldemort had learned of his upcoming position at the school from Bertha before killing her. She had also told him of the tournament. Peter helped with the potion and they took Alastor over. They locked him up, Crouch junior came to the school and took his place and caused everything that had happened from the dragon to the bewitched people in the maze that night, to ensure Harry would be the one to touch that cup and find his way to Voldemort. Even when his father began fighting the curse, Barty had a solution for that too: murder.

When Crouch was done speaking, Severus stood Joanna up to lead her to the hospital wing. Dumbledore stopped him a moment. "Severus would you be kind enough after you've seen Joanna is safe asking Poppy to come here and retrieve Alastor? He needs to go to the hospital wing. Then will you go to the grounds and find Cornelius Fudge and send him up to this office. No doubt he'll want to question Crouch himself."

Severus nodded and led Joanna out of the room.

"I feel so drained," Joanna said as they walked.

"You received the Crucio curse; that happens. Are you still in pain?"

"Extremely."

Severus nodded

They reached the hospital and Severus sat Joanna down on a cot at the very end of the row near the window. "Stay here, I'll be back in a moment." He closed the curtain and headed off Poppy who had obviously come out of her office to see who had arrived. Both of them left and Joanna was alone. She couldn't see the mark on her shoulder, but it still seared almost like new. She reached around herself and noted that the skin was fiery to the touch. When she looked at her fingertips she saw that they were covered in blood. Joanna sighed and crossed her legs one over the other, Indian style, and waited for Severus to return.

Several minutes later he was back with a black bottle and a cloth in his hand. He came behind the curtain and sat on the bed. "Turn around and let me get this on your neck."

Joanna did as she was told and heard Severus uncork the bottle. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Severus pour an amount of black liquid onto the cloth. As soon as the cloth met the skin on the nape of her neck a cooling relief spread over her and there was no more pain. "I never thought I would have to use this on you," Severus said quietly. "What happened?"

"I didn't say anything, and I didn't dare move. I was just too scared. My wand was gone, I couldn't do anything." That was of course a lie. Magic with the use of a wand was difficult, but Joanna had never had a problem with performing even complicated spells without one. Severus knew this, and figured she was trying the long way to telling him how terrified she was.

"Get undressed." Severus picked up a gown at the end of the hospital bed.

Joanna began changing out of her clothes. "Here's what we say: the truth. We tell him we're married."

"We? No, no, you're not going anywhere and I'm not telling him a damn thing about my personal life."

"I work for the priory, it's my job to take these opportunities when they come to me." Joanna pulled the gown on and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"She's right."

Severus pulled back the bed curtain and Alastor was being made comfortable in the bed next to Joanna. "I think the both of your are the safest people in the world right now." He sounded weak, but his tone indicated eh was in the mood to give advice. "You are in the inner circle. Among his most trusted. To be honest, I would have suggested Joanna do exactly what she did if I had been given the chance."

"Sir with respect," Severus said, "this is my wife and I will decide in this setting what is too dangerous for her."

"Or you could let the mother of your child decide, no shame in that is there?" Joanna bit back in an annoyed tone. Severus was so frustrated with her that he nearly missed what she had said.

"Mother?" Severus repeated. Joanna sat down on the bed beside Severus and took his hand. "Severus, I'm pregnant. I'd been waiting to tell you until after the tournament was over. I didn't want you to worry since there was nothing we could do about me being the witness."

Severus took Joanna's other hand and sighed. He pulled her into an embrace. "That's wonderful." Severus pulled away and stood up, tucking her into bed. "You rest while I go and prepare my things for the calling. I'll be back by morning."

Joanna sat bolt upright. "I'm coming."

"You most certainly are not. Not with my child inside you."

"Did you not hear me boy?" Alastor was sitting up while Poppy helped him make his stump of a leg comfortable atop its own pillow. "She's safest on the inside not the out. If she doesn't show with you, he'll start hunting for her."

"Well he won't find her," Severus retorted. "I have had a plan for her ever since we got married. I know what I'm doing."

The hospital wing doors opened and Molly Weasley came in along with Bill, Ron and Hermione. They were waiting for Dumbledore to bring Harry down. Severus kissed the top of Joanna's head and said, "I'm not leaving until I get the order from Dumbledore and he'll be busy for a while between the boy and Crouch. We can talk about this later." He helped her scoot down and rest her head on the pillows. "Rest now."

Joanna woke up to a bit of a commotion. "…history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we've worked to rebuild!" Dumbledore was shouting.

Joanna sat up. There were many people in the hospital now: Minerva was there, Dumbledore, arguing with Cornelius Fudge, Alastor still asleep, Harry who was also awake, Molly Weasley, Bill, Ron, and Hermione, Poppy, even a dog. But there was someone she didn't see. "Severus?"

"I'm here," Severus stepped out from behind the Wealsey family and rushed across the room to her and Joanna swung her feet out of bed and met him halfway. Severus held Joanna in his arms and whispered, "Fudge brought a dementor to question Crouch. He's dead."

It was easy to piece together what had happened since then. Severus continued on, saying, "You should get back to bed. I'll give you a sleeping draught-"

"No, I want to hear this. Alastor's asleep and this is important."

"Joanna-"

But she pushed past Severus and stood with Dumbledore, who was saying in response to something Fudge had said, "The only one against whom I intend to work is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we are, Cornelius, on the same side."

Severus came behind Joanna and held onto her. Cornelius paused before saying quietly, "He can't be back, Dumbledore, he just can't be…"

Joanna felt Severus move away from her and before she could stop him he was walking toward Fudge and tugging at his left sleeve. "Severus, wait-"

But he pulled the sleeve up and thrust his forearm toward Fudge who stepped back. "There," Severus said. "The Dark Mark. It's not as clear as it was an hour ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. The Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff's too. Why doo you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord's vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold."

Fudge recoiled and stepped around Severus toward Dumbledore. "I don't know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry."

Joanna felt sickened by what was happening. She sat down on the nearest bed and Severus sat with her. Fudge handed Harry his winnings before leaving. And when he had Dumbledore started discussing he action to be taken.

"Severus, you can't do this alone," Joanna whispered. "What if something happens? What if he doesn't believe your story?"

"I'll be fine, Joanna, don't worry. I will probably be back before dawn."

"And if I wake up in the morning to find that you're gone? What then? You need someone there with you."

"Joanna if you go with me you will never be able to leave." Severus touched Joanna's stomach. "You're looking after more than yourself now. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. And if I'm not then you need to go on and make sure you take care of this baby…for both of us."

"Severus-" but Joanna could not say anymore. She fell into his chest and he held her close. Joanna took in his scent, the smell of his soap and the potions that steam into his clothes day in and out. Nothing was more real than this moment and she wanted it to last forever.

"Sirius, if you could resume your usual form."

The dog in the room transformed into Sirius Black. Molly screamed and her son Ron calmed her. "Him!" Severus stood from where he sat and stepped in front of Joanna. "What is he doing here?"

"He is here at my invitation, as are you Severus," Dumbledore said sternly. "I trust you both. It is time for you to both lay aside your differences and trust each other."

The men stepped toward each other and indulged in a short, less than friendly handshake. Dumbledore was satisfied enough and relayed instructions to Sirius. Joanna stood and started toward Severus, but Dumbledore was not finished in his orders.

"Severus, you know what I must ask you to do…if you are ready. If you are prepared…"

"I am."

"Then good luck."

Severus began to walk out when Joanna stifled a sob. He looked back and there were tears on her face making rivers down her cheeks. Severus could feel his heart breaking. Severus walked back to Joanna and took her by the shoulders, leading her out with him. "I'll leave presently sir." Severus continued to lead Joanna out of the hospital past Poppy, who surprisingly did not put up and fight.

They reached their quarters and Severus had already laid his Death Eater cloak and mask on the bed. Joanna stood with her arms crossed while Severus stood before their mirror, clasping his cloak and making sure it was perfect. "Darling where's our floo powder?"

"On the mantle," Joanna replied through tears.

Severus turned to his wife. She was still crying. He stepped close to her and said, "This isn't the end. Joanna things will be changing. I'll be keeping you separate from this life; you don't need to get involved."

"Severus, you won't be able to hide me forever. Please, can you treat me as though I'm your trophy wife, like Narcissa. He won't be threatened by me, you'll have control over wither or not he uses me in any capacity, and I'll be safe."

Severus considered her. She might be young, but he knew she was right. If he kept his marriage a secret someone would out him before long and destroy his credibility. She had to be involved in some way. This was the best compromise; all the benefits with less of the risk. Severus nodded. "I'll do that, I promise. But you need to rest. Stay here tonight. Come with me next time."

He placed his hands on Joanna's waist and kissed her lips passionately. Then he knelt down before her and rubbed her stomach before kissing it as well. He put his ear to her womb and blinked away the tears stinging at his eyes. Joanna stroked his head. Severus breathed deeply; he would never admit it to Joanna, but he was scared. If this did not go as he planned…he didn't want to think of it.

Severus stood again and scooped his ask off the bed. He kissed Joanna's forehead and smiled a little before stepping out of the room. Joanna heard the door close and crumbled onto the floor, back against the door to the bedroom, feeling sick to her stomach.


End file.
